Follow scientific advisory to raise healthy plantations- Dr Kaushal

Solan, Jan 5 – An event on plant sale and planting advisory was organized today at the Dr.YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry(UHF), Nauni. The event was organized to ensure that the farmers follow the correct scientific advisory while raising new fruit plantations. The event was held along with the University’s annual sale of temperate fruits planting material which began today at the University’s main campus and Krishi Vigyan Kendra(KVK) Solan. The event was held in both online and offline mode.

The farmers who had reached the university to buy plants attended the event at three different venues. Farmers and scientists from KVKs and research stations located in the different districts of the state along with the College of Horticulture and Forestry located at Thunag and Neri also joined the event virtually. UHF Vice-Chancellor Dr. Parvinder Kaushal was the chief guest on the occasion.

Dr. PK Mahajan, Director Extension Education while welcoming the chief guest and farmers said that the university has been continuously devising new methods to effectively reach the farmers. He said that this special event on planting advisory will be of immense help to the growers while raising new orchards and protecting them from insects, pests and diseases.

In his address, Dr. Kaushal said, “The farmers hold a lot of trust in the planting material prepared by the university, and thus there is a huge demand for it from throughout the country. The university too, on its part, has been continuously increasing the number of plants supplied to the farmers each, and efforts were underway to further add to this number in the coming years.”

He added that good-quality planting material was a prerequisite for ensuring good returns in horticulture and therefore it was important that the farmers follow the scientific advisories for planting, crop production and protection.

Videos on layout and planting of fruit crops, natural farming system for fruit plants, varieties in apple and mango were also played during the event. The first technical session on crop production covered topics like nursery management, location-specific varieties and kiwi fruit production were held. The second technical session was on crop protection and covered important diseases, insects and pests, and their management.

The plants sale of the university was also conducted smoothly while ensuring strict compliance of COVID 19 guidelines. Only a limited number of farmers who had applied for plants by filling the online demand form within the stipulated date were called to the university. The allotment list for each day is being uploaded on the university website along with the number of allotted plants along with time and the name of the university nursery from where the plants can be collected.